Bai Yu was speechless.
He had already been cautious to the utmost, not daring to reveal even the slightest hint of wealth.
He had even only dared to sell ten packets of Essence Nourishing Powder, worth merely three taels of silver.
Yet he had still been targeted.
Were people these days really this desperate?
Bai Yu changed routes several times in succession, only to discover that those two men remained behind him the entire time.
Certain that he was being followed, he broke into a full sprint.
The two men behind him also pursued relentlessly.
The pair were dumbfounded as well. Was this kid really that good at running?
One of them, a skinny man, complained:
"Third Brother, is it really worth chasing him like this?"
"It's only three taels of silver, and Old Diao already swindled two taels from him for a lousy book."
The fat man beside him said darkly:
"Why so much nonsense? Just chase him."
"What if he has a pill formula on him? Then we'll strike it rich, and we can pay off the usury debt we owe the Black Wolf Gang."
"Otherwise, when that old one-eyed bastard Zuo Er comes to collect, we'll really lose our hands and feet."
As it turned out, these two were a pair of notorious bandits. One was called Mao San, and the other Gou Si. Both were first-rank martial artists.
Ordinarily, they would not have risked themselves to rob even a single tael of silver.
But several days ago, they had suffered a losing streak at the gambling house and, in a moment of agitation, borrowed usury money from the Black Wolf Gang.
Usury was the sort of thing that sucked the marrow from one's bones. Once it was on one's back, it could never be repaid.
That was what had forced the two of them to take the desperate gamble, hoping to obtain a pill formula from Bai Yu and clear their usury debt in one stroke.
Thinking of the Black Wolf Gang's methods, the two of them shuddered at the same time, and their feet quickened even further.
Mao San encouraged Gou Si:
"Fourth Brother, put your mind at ease. I know I'm right. This kid is probably a complete greenhorn."
"He didn't even bring a weapon when he left home. The two of us can take care of him with a lift of our hands."
Suddenly, they saw the figure ahead dart behind a large tree and vanish from sight.
Mao San and Gou Si panicked. No longer caring about anything else, they each grabbed their weapons and gave chase.
When they reached the tree, they discovered that Bai Yu had already disappeared.
Just as the two were about to search, the sound of a stone rolling came from behind a small earthen mound ahead.
Mao San and Gou Si exchanged a glance. A sharp gleam burst from their eyes as they lunged toward the mound.
Mao San gripped a long saber, while Gou Si held several daggers concealed in his hand.
At that very moment, a black figure flew down from the tree. It was Bai Yu.
He gripped a woodcutter's blade and swung it in a horizontal slash.
Soul Severing Saber Technique, one slash to sever the head!
The blade flashed. Mao San's head soared high into the air, and blood erupted in a spray.
Gou Si's face changed drastically. He leaped forward, then spun around and flicked his hand, firing several throwing knives.
The three throwing knives formed a triangular pattern, shooting straight for Bai Yu's head and chest.
Bai Yu bent his upper body backward, evading all three knives.
Thud, thud, thud. The three throwing knives all embedded themselves in the large tree behind him.
While Bai Yu was dodging, Gou Si charged at him with his dagger in hand.
Yet at that moment, a black dog sprang out from behind the earthen mound and knocked Gou Si to the ground in a single pounce.
Just as Gou Si was about to fight back, Bai Yu rushed forward in one step and swung his woodcutter's blade, first severing Gou Si's arm.
Then came another horizontal slash, and Gou Si's head rolled away.
Bai Yu delivered two more blows, confirming that both men were thoroughly dead before finally letting out a long breath.
His first true fight to the death had really been damn exciting.
Fortunately, Bai Yu had planned ahead for a long time and made preparations to deal with bandits.
He had already surveyed the area when he arrived.
He had hidden the woodcutter's blade in the tree and had Old Mo lie in ambush behind the mound beforehand.
Old Mo's current strength was comparable to the peak of first-rank Flesh Refinement.
With one man and one dog working together, killing Mao San and Gou Si had been effortless.
Bai Yu said to Old Mo:
"The second rule of the Way of Caution: the martial world is fraught with danger, so always play the pig to eat the tiger."
"A true master of the Way of Caution always keeps several trump cards in reserve."
Old Mo trotted over, his eyes full of admiration.
Though he was truly a dog, he still could not out-cautious Bai Yu.
Old Mo wagged his tail furiously and rubbed against Bai Yu's leg, asking for credit.
Bai Yu smiled faintly and stroked Old Mo's head.
"Little Blackie, you did great."
This was the tacit understanding between Bai Yu and Old Mo. Whenever they were outside, they absolutely never used their real names.
Bai Yu went by the alias Cai Kun, while Old Mo went by the alias Little Blackie.
That way, even if someone overheard them, no suspicion would fall on their heads.
Bai Yu calmed himself and swiftly searched the two men.
In the end, he found a total of one tael of silver and several dozen copper coins.
Bai Yu could not help but spit.
"You're this poor and you still came out robbing people? Don't you know how to make money?"
"What a huge loss. A huge loss."
Fortunately, Mao San's steel saber looked fairly good. It appeared to be forged from tenfold-refined steel and should fetch four or five taels of silver at the Black Market.
Bai Yu also took Gou Si's dagger and three throwing knives. They were all forged from tenfold-refined steel.
The throwing knives in particular had been coated with purple poison powder.
If one were struck by them, one would probably be finished on the spot.
Finally, Bai Yu found a medicine bottle hidden in Gou Si's robes.
When he opened the bottle, a pungent, fishy stench wafted out.
There was no need to say it. This was definitely poison.
Bai Yu could not help feeling secretly relieved.
Fortunately, he had prepared thoroughly and kept several trump cards in reserve. Otherwise, one careless misstep might truly have seen him ambushed by Gou Si.
Bai Yu cleaned up the battlefield and swiftly departed with Old Mo.
Only after returning to the morgue did he carefully inspect today's gains.
He had earned three taels from selling Essence Nourishing Powder, two of which had gone toward buying a damaged copy of Five Spirits Fist.
Killing the two robbers had yielded one tael and forty-three copper coins.
There was also a tenfold-refined steel saber, a dagger, and three throwing knives.
Lastly, there was a bottle of Crane's Crown Red poison that killed at the sight of blood.
At the Black Market, these things would cost no less than ten taels of silver.
Despite gaining more than ten taels' worth of goods, Bai Yu was not satisfied.
He said to Old Mo:
"Old Mo, we are seekers of immortality. Unless we have no other choice, we must not risk our lives over these worldly possessions."
"Money and martial arts manuals will come sooner or later. They are not worth taking such a risk for."
Old Mo: "Woof, woof, woo~"
Bai Yu rubbed Old Mo's head and began flipping through the damaged copy of Five Spirits Fist.
It contained drawings of little figures imitating five spirit beasts as they punched.
When he committed the damaged manual to memory, the attribute panel changed.
Martial arts: Five Elements Fist (practice makes perfect), damaged copy of Five Spirits Fist (not yet initiated). Compatibility: 97%, fusion available. Fusion cost: 100 life experience.
Without another word, Bai Yu invested 100 life experience into the Burial World Record.
Immediately, shadowy little figures appeared in his mind.
Those shadowy figures began to continuously practice martial arts.
In the end, Five Elements Fist and the damaged copy of Five Spirits Fist merged, forming a new fist art.
In addition to the original five offensive forms, it gained four health-nourishing practice methods.
Four Elephants Five Elements Fist, Yellow Rank, Middle Grade.
Bai Yu beamed with delight. He had actually obtained a Yellow Rank, Middle Grade martial art!
Even at the Black Market, a Yellow Rank, Middle Grade martial art would cost more than twenty taels of silver.
Bai Yu had spent a mere two taels. He had truly struck it rich.
Moreover, this Four Elephants Five Elements Fist had inherited the proficiency of Five Elements Fist.
Bai Yu's interest was immediately piqued, and he practiced the Four Elephants Five Elements Fist on the spot.
The result brought him one surprise after another.
Before you continue